


1908

by LadySeishou



Category: Hikaru no Go
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Community: 31_days, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-10-05
Updated: 2005-10-05
Packaged: 2017-11-14 14:27:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/516182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadySeishou/pseuds/LadySeishou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The wheel of life turns and the dream continues... Shindou Hikaru as a Japanese immigrant having settled in California meets his picture bride...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1908

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for the LiveJournal community 31 Days  
> AU Day/Theme: October 5 / 3rd Measurement In C  
> Characters / Pairing: Shindou Hikaru / Touya Akira
> 
> Author’s note:
> 
> The 1900 US Census reported that of the 24,326 Japanese that had immigrated to the United States, only 410 were female. 
> 
> To address growing citizen concerns, the United States came to a “Gentlemen Agreement” with Japan to prevent the continuing immigration of Japanese males from 1908 to 1924. 
> 
> Japanese women, however, were allowed to continue to immigrate to the United States, many as "picture brides.”

only you would mark my words  
get engaged in california

from “3rd Measurement In C”, performed by Saosin

 

1908

 

The raw November sky was gray with storm clouds and Hikaru wondered if the ferry would make it to the island before the sky poured down over their heads. He found a seat of sorts near the railing near the bow of the boat and watched as the other men came aboard. There were maybe five less than yesterday making a total of twenty-two for today.

Among them, he spotted the young man that he had talked with yesterday - “Mason” Tanaka - a fine man who worked for a grocery store in the City. He was carrying a brown-paper wrapped package as many of them did. Shindou shifted the weight of his to his knee so that he could motion to Mason to come up and stand at the open place near the railing.

Mason bowed politely. He had only recently arrived himself and still held to the old ways. Hikaru shrugged. He had had enough of that. He held out his hand. “Good to see you Tanaka-san.”

The boy looked down at Hikaru’s hand momentarily confused but then nodded happily, smiling, setting his wrapped bundle on the deck so that he could take Hikaru’s hand in his own and shake it like he was beating the New Year’s rice. Hikaru gritted his teeth enduring the boy’s enthusiasm.

“Good to meet you too Shindou-san,” he said at last. The ship was underway now, the water rough and Mason let go of Hikaru’s hand so he could take up his bundle again and grab hold of the railing to keep his feet. “A good day.”

Hikaru smiled and nodded. He knew what the boy meant. He reached up with his free hand to feel for the edges of the photograph he kept in the pocket of his good “Sunday Best” coat. 

“Yes, it is.”

 

* * *

 

It turned out that it was a lucky day too. The rain didn’t come until the boat had crossed to the island, the first fat drops falling on the men’s heads as they made their way along the planked walkway from the boat dock to the large white compound directly ahead. Hikaru was happy to step onto the building’s long covered porch just as the rain decided to come down harder, in solid cold waves carried by the wind.

Mason paused uneasily at his side. “Anzuru yori umu ga yasushi,” he said shame-faced. “My mother always said childbirth is easier than the worrying beforehand and I suppose she would know,” he added. “I have six brothers and sisters.”

Hikaru laughed self-consciously. “Yes, it is as you and your mother say,” he agreed, thinking of the disquieting not-quite-memories that the girl’s likeness aroused in him, making his stomach knot with worry. “As much as I want this, there is still a part of me that hesitates even now,” he admitted.

Mason reached into his dark wool coat and pulled out his picture, the yellow edges thin with handling. “Well, I am not worried about that. My Fumiko is beautiful. I know that she will give me many children, strong sons and beautiful daughters.” 

“It’s not that, Tanaka-san.” Hikaru shook his head, wondering still about his true feelings. “I guess that I’m more worried that I will be the one rejected today.”

“You may have many worries Shindou-san,” Mason said, putting away the precious photograph. “But your wife’s rejection will not be one of them. Her name has already been added to your family’s register, yes?” At Hikaru’s small nod, Mason smiled and slapped him on the back. “She has come here to be your dutiful wife then. You have no worries.”

Hikaru smiled and nodded again, deciding that he would let the gods decide and pushed Mason back playfully. “I will go ahead of you then. Maybe I will like Fumiko better and convince her to marry me instead of a poor shop keeper like you!” He laughed and made his way through the crowd of men gathered uncertainly at the door as Mason took a minute to translate Hikaru’s words spoken in English, the boy snorting with mock indignation as he finally followed in his wake.

 

* * *

 

The “brides” waited inside for their husbands-to-be, sitting on long wooden benches, all dutifully staring at the wood floor at their feet. Hikaru wondered briefly if he would know Akira given this perspective of bowed heads, alike in their matrimonial finery.

But again he felt that strange teasing memory that was not really memory as he walked with little hesitation to stand in front of a girl sitting near the rear door. He didn’t know how he knew but the surety of the knowledge was in him as strong as if he had known this girl his whole life. “Akira,” he said.

The girl looked up, surprise coloring her delicate features. Recovering quickly, she stood up to bow deeply to Hikaru, her small hands and long slender fingers properly aligned beneath the purple obi she wore around her lavender kimono. “I am Miss Akira Touya,” she said in well-schooled English. “I am pleased to make your acquaintance.” 

Hikaru found himself bowing back in turn. “Please forgive my manners. I am Shindou Hikaru.” It was awkwardly done as he was out of practice and he fumbled with the large wrapped box he carried.

He set the box down on a small crate which looked like it was used as a table after a fashion and pulled it and an empty chair closer to the girl who was once again studying the floor. Hikaru looked away in frustration and found that the other men had also found their “wives” and were sitting in quiet pairs, the men shyly rubbing the back of their heads as the women continued to look down at their feet.

It was all so crazy.

To hell with it, he decided. He cleared his throat loudly. “Miss Touya…” 

Someone coughed in warning and there was additional disapproving awkward shuffling sounds but he ignored them all.

“Miss Touya, I need to know one thing before we marry today…” The girl shifted uneasily in her seat. “Yes, I know that you are already suppose to be my wife but here in California we follow the laws of this land and here we aren’t married until the paperwork is properly stamped and we say ‘I do’ in front of the minister. Do you understand?”

The girl nodded.

“Then I want you to know something. Something about me. I’m not looking for a proper Japanese wife who will bow and cook and keep my house. I’m looking for a partner. Someone who will be with me because she wants to be, not because she suppose to. Do you understand?”

This time the girl didn’t even bother to shake or nod her head. But Hikaru thought maybe she was still listening.

“Look I know that I’m asking a lot here. This is the first time that we’ve even met face to face. Sort of, anyway.” Actually, he thought that this was going a little better than he had expected since he didn’t have to look her in her strange but familiar eyes. “And I need you to decide… quickly because…” he looked up at the clock on the wall. “We have what’s left of the hour.”

Hikaru also wasn’t sure that he wasn’t being five kinds of idiot for thinking that this would work as he pulled the brown paper off of the box and lifted out a square wood board, thinking now of the hours he had spent at his kitchen table, sanding and inking and fitting the boards together.

“The old man that taught me to play once told me that there was no better way to get to know a man’s head and heart than to play Go with him. I guess that it works that way just as well for women, don’t you think Touya-san? I was told that you knew how to play.”

He didn’t wait for her answer before taking out two small round baskets from the box, setting one on the bench near Akira before opening the other. “How many stones do you need?” he asked, setting out six black stones on the board before finding the courage to finally look.

She was looking at him now with full, unwavering attention.

Gods, he thought. Why does it feel like I know this girl. Know everything about her. And that she knows me too. Her eyes were sharper than they showed in the picture, seemingly taking the full measure of the man she was going to play. Hikaru shook off his uneasiness and looked back. 

He decided he liked the fire, the challenge he saw in her face. He would think about all the rest of it later.

“I yield in this to no one, Shindou-san,” she finally spoke, her voice both gentle and strong like the wind. 

“I’m counting on it Touya-san,” Hikaru answered honestly.

"Then I need no stones."

He grinned and nodded. They began to play.

 

* * *

 

The rain had stopped by the time all the paperwork had been filled out and filed. He had wanted to cross out the place that someone had penciled in “Arrowtower” for Akira’s family name but she had stilled his hand and shook her head. So he let it be.

Hikaru had also wanted to check on Mason and his new bride. The man was positively beaming. The girl was as pretty as her picture, dressed in western style clothes, a gift from her husband . He watched with some bemusement as Akira introduced herself to Mason and exchanged greetings with the girl.

Now Hikaru chatted easily to Akira as they walked back to the ferry that would take them to San Francisco. The farm was only a half-day’s ride after that. 

He was trying to describe the place to her now. “Strawberries as big as my fist…” he claimed happily, holding his hand up. “Well, maybe not as big as all that. But the yield is good and the market…” He thought then to look over to see if she could tell when he was exaggerating and noticed that Akira was no longer walking beside him. He turned around and found her, walking a good three or four paces behind him, each step tiny, wrapped as she was within the folds of her kimono. He walked back to her and plucked her small bundle of things from her hands, adding the bag to the box with the go board.

“First thing we’re going to do is get you some proper clothes Akira,” he said, looking her over, trying to guess her size. “I think that we might borrow something from Mary. She and her brother work the farm next to mine… uh… ours,” he finished with a goofy grin. “And I have to warn you, she’s pretty outspoken, for a woman anyway. She’ll have you in pants I bet. And you should know, she’s actually a pretty strong Go player too.”

“I look forward to meeting Mary,” she answered with a small smile. 

Hikaru started back down the walkway as Akira fell into step at his side.

 

\- owari -


End file.
